Improvement in horseshoes



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JONATHAN JOHNSON, or LOWELL,v MASSACHUSETTS.

Laws ,Putative 89,775, atea May 4,1369.

"IMPROVEMENT `IIN HORSESEOES.

Thesohedule referred to in these"Letters 'Patent and making part of the same.

Be it known that .1, JQNATHAN Jonsson, bf Lowell, in the county of Middlesex-,awstate of Massa-l chusetts,have invented certain `new and useful Im- `provements in Horseshoes, and in soles for horseshoes, and inthe method, mode, or means for applying such soles to horses.V feet, and to the shoes thereon, of which the following isV a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-'- l i Figure 1 represents the bottom side of` one of my improvedhorseshoes, andthe `sole, as it appears when applied, or whenready to apply to a horses foot;

Figure `2 represents a sectional elevation of a horses' foot, with all the parts of my linvention applied thereto;

Figureis a bottomiview, similar' to fig. 1, `but with different kinds of plates,1for securing and coniinin g the sole to the shoe;

Figure 4 is a top, or reverse side view ofiiig. 3, showing the heel-pad H, andthe straps a and b, for holding it in'position;

Figure 5'is a plan, or top view; and Figure 6, a side elevation of a detached universal calk and plate combined, and which pertains to my invention. l t In this invention an ordinary plate-shoe, A, is used, and this plate-shoe is fastened to the foot with nails, in the -usual way.

rIhis, plate-shoe is provided with a series of screwtapped holes, to receive certain screw-bolts .B and B', which I employ for fastening the universal calks `and their plates, or for fasteningplain plates and the sole C to the shoe. f 1 i The bolts. B. are common iron bolts, and are used f only with plates provided with calks, and are no new thing, but the bolts B have hardened steel heads, and these last-named bolts are used when smooth plain plates D are employed for confining the sole tothe shoe, and when no calks arev necessary, as on county roads, when the ground is bare. t

Should` the occasion require a change of the plates,

" calk-plates` can be readily substitutedi'or` the plainplates, and the `universal calks land plates applied, as

`shown in iig. 1, rst removingthe plain ones.

v These universal calksand platesare adapted to any part of theshoe, fand either at the extremity of each heel, or at each side ofthe centreat the toe,`or at any reasonable and desired place or position along the sides of the shoe, without varying the bearing-point of the calks more) than one inch, if so small a variation Should be found necessary to relieve the foot of the horse, the screw-tapped 4holes in the shoe being formed at a distance `of one inch from centrato centre, and the uni- `versal calli-plates made each with a bolt-hole, and a steady-pin, or holdng-plug, h, to correspondwith the holes in the shoe, the plug ,kentering one hole, and a screwbolt entering the next hole to it.

The sole C covers theentiresurface of the bottom sdeof the shoe, andA this sole is secured to the shoe by'A plain plates I), or bythe universal calk-platesE,

made in thesame shape, or by plates of different form,

if found necessary o1' important; but I consider the universal plate, which is adapted to any part of the bottom surface of the shoe, as before described, much the best, the cheapest, and most convenient device for holding the sole on the shoe, and this, whether said universal plates are plain, or'provided with calks, as clearly shown in the drawings.`

Above the leather Sole G, and fitting within the shoe, is an inner sole, F, of leather, the rear end of which is provided with a heel-pad, H, furnished with' strapsa' and b, one or both ofwhich may be elastic, so as to yield to the action of the foot when the horse is travelling.

The inner surface of this heel-pad is provided with an absorbent, which is intended 'to be saturated with healing-ointment, or to contain some substance whichY i will have a beneficial eiiect upon the heel-crack, or a Asore heel, and to keep out all sand, dirt, or injurious substance; but where the heel is not sore,'the heelpadand straps need not be used.

Below the Vsole C is an outer sole, G, also of leather,

and a metal sole, J, covers the whole surface of the latter, for the purpose of protecting the leather or rubber pad, and a bearing for the nuts.

A bolt, K, preferably of brassor copper, passes through all the four soles, andl has a hardened steel nut, L, on its lower end, and a dat heai bearing ou the top of the inner sole F. `This bolt holds all the parts,

or soiesl together, and the hardened steel nut willendure a longtime. Y

A bolt, m, which'may be of iron, passes through the sole G, and through the outer sole G, and the metal sole J, to 'hold the three or more pads or parts together,

below the sole F. This bolt is also provided witha hardened steelnut, and for the l same purpose as the other'.

This bolt has aflat head, and its position, or place of application shouldbe directly under, or nearlyunder the lowest depending portion of the frog M. This is of 4great importance, as this brings a portion of the weight of the horse directly ou the frog, which causes the foot to expand, gives it a healthyfaction, and prevents corns, (as they are called,) and which, in most cases,

i if properly treated, will be cured, or eifectually removed.

For this purpose, and in connection with my improved foot-expanding device, or apparatus, I fill, or partly ll the. space N, around the sides of the frog,

with an absorbent, S, shown in fig. 4, and while the `pressure 'or weight is brought upon the frog, this absorbent must be kept saturated with water, or with oil, or with medicated liniment, or some suitable substance'for softening and lubricating the parts while the expanding action is progressing; and this saturatingsubstance is applied to the absorbent S, by loosening thestraps a and b, and turning down Vthe heel-pad, and l byinjecting between the top of the inner-sole and the foot, or by removing a portion of the plain or the calked plates, and turning one edge of the sole downward, to expose the under side of the foot and the frog, which may then be washed or cleaned, the saturating-material applied, and the plate replaced and secured on the shoe.

The inner sole F may be of any required thickness, and additional thicknesses applied, to accommodate the length of the frog.-

The absorbent S may be secured by means of the bolt K, as shown in fig. 4, or applied loosely in the space N.

The metal'sole J protects the outer sole G, and forms a good support for the steel nuts L, which are screwed up against it, as shown.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The sole C, in combination with the inner sole F, the outer sole G, the metal sole J, and the bolts K and m, in the manner and for the purpose ,substantially as described.

2. The method, substantially as described, of securing the sole O to the shoe, viz, by means of plain or calked plates, as set forth.

3. The heel-pad H, and straps aand b, in combina tion with the sole F, arranged and applied in the manner and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the' soles C, F, and G, the absorbent S, for the purpose and substantially as deascribed.

A.5. The arrangement of the bolt m beneath the inner sole F, directly or partly under the frog M, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

6. The universal plates and calk E, as described, and which are adapted to any part of the shoe, and changeable to any other part or position thereon.

JONATHAN J OBNSON. Witnesses: v

J om E. CRANE, LANG MONROE. 

